So recently Bumpy (aka my 12 yr. old boy ) had his last PTM meeting for grade 7 and as I was waiting for my turn , I couldn’t help noticing the amount of time I had to wait for my turn because the parent before me had so many queries about their own children.
Do you not agree that more than a teacher, it is the parent who knows the strengths and weaknesses of his/her own child better?
If you have answered YES , then go ahead and give yourself a pat on the back. You have been a mindful parent and if not then here’s your opportunity to become one.
We as parents tend to take many decisions about our children based on various parameters some examples like: our own dreams and ambitions , people around us , teachers and school evaluations and so on …but there is one big decision-making moment: planning a career for your teenager which can confuse everyone .Even though it is the child’s decision ultimately, career planning is not something that can be left to the child entirely. It does require adult intervention and supervision. Career choice and planning require a detailed in-depth study of the available options, a careful analysis of the market and future trends, an assessment of the child’s aptitude and interest levels.
But don’t worry , one can always start and plan early by discussing not only with your child but a subject matter expert like a Career Counsellor.
Early career planning can help your kids focus strongly on their goals and be motivated enough to pursue them when the time comes. By the time they reach the 8th grade, you as a parent are in a fair position to gauge the area of interest of your child and his capabilities.
An early start gives them just the right impetus, much in the same way an early riser gets a good extra three-four hours in a day. An early start in career planning can add two years to their career selection journey, and encourages them to focus on those basics which they might use later in life.
As a Career Counsellor I have experienced the anxiousness and fear in minds of most parents and kids about the future, I decided to list down the real-time advantages of early career planning:
5 Benefits of Early Career Planning
- Students get a fair amount of time for in-depth research and planning.
- In case there are additional skills to be acquired, or preparation to be done for a particular career (for e.g., prep for entrance exams), it too can be planned well in advance.
- It gives students a fair bit of time for trial-and-error and exploration, especially those who change their minds frequently.
- It can help build focus and ambition by setting clear goals to aspire towards.
- It minimizes distractions since a focused child knows what is expected of her and works towards it.
With greater and stiffer competition in all fields, most students would be better off with an early start in career planning, with a greater hold over their basics of Class 8th and 9th which form the base of higher learning and also for the competitive exams they might be sitting for in the near future.
Grades 8 and 9 are the crucial years for honing varied interests or calibre of your child. It’s just the right time to allow your child to explore their interests further and build the skills needed for it. Maybe a sports enthusiast could be pushed in for rigorous coaching –to make it to the nationals, or a civil services aspirant might begin focusing more on expanding his general awareness. Overseas aspirants may utilize this time to gather information to find out most suitable colleges or universities and prepare for aptitude tests and building their profile.
The best part about starting early is that you can help establish a firm foundation for your child, and give them enough time to experiment, explore, and discover things about themselves, that will eventually help them in their career journey.
And if you feel that you cannot do all of this on your own, consult with me , a certified career counsellor to show you the way.
